How life has changed in Stafford

Stafford's population increased by about 10,200 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population passed 130,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Stafford increased by 8.5%, from almost 121,000 to 131,000.

The addition of just over 10,000 people means this area's population increased at a similar rate to the overall population of England (up 7.9% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Stafford was home to, on average, 1.6 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was lower than the average across the West Midlands

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across the West Midlands, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Stafford

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Stafford increased by three years, from 40 to 43 years.

This area had a higher average age than the West Midlands and remained somewhat older than the average local authority area across England (39 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just over 4,500 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by about 2,000.

About 13.0% of people in Stafford are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Stafford by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

More people living alone

Stafford saw the West Midlands' second-largest rise in the proportion of one-person households.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (29.2%) households in Stafford had only one person, compared with 26.1% in 2001. The percentage of households comprising an unmarried couple increased from 8.0% to 9.5%.

Across the region, only Staffordshire Moorlands saw a greater rise in the proportion of one-person households (from 24.9% to 28.1%).

During this period, Stafford went from having the 20th-highest to the 13th-highest percentage of one-person households out of 309 English local authority areas.

The percentage of households with only one person was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of households that comprised only one person across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Changing work life

The rate of self-employment increased in Stafford, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in the West Midlands, except Lichfield.

Every local authority area across the West Midlands saw a rise in the proportion of self-employed people, as the regional average grew from 7.4% to 8.5%.

The rate of self-employment was higher than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were self-employed across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

More people worked short hours

The percentage of employed people in Stafford working less than 16 hours increased from 1.9% to 3.4% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in nine (11.6%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, compared with 14.4% in 2001.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 1.7% in 2001 to 3.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.9% to 3.1%.

The proportion of people working less than 16 hours in a week in Stafford increased by 1.5 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Stafford, the West Midlands and England that said they had worked less than 16 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Stafford

The percentage of Stafford residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 3.0% to 3.7% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage who reported being limited a little in their day-to-day activities remained close to 8.0%, while the percentage of Stafford residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 88.5%.

The proportion of people who are considerably limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 3.5% in 2001 to 4.2% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 3.1% to 3.8%.

The proportion of people who are limited a lot by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents that reported being considerably limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Religion in Stafford

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Stafford was among those who said they had no religion, rising 11.5 points.

In 2011, 24.4% of respondents in Stafford gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 12.9% of those who answered in 2001.

Across the West Midlands, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion and described themselves as having no religion increased from 13.3% to 23.5%, while across England the percentage went from 15.7% to 26.5%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Stafford, 72.7% said they were Christian, compared with 85.6% in 2001. About 0.9% said they were Muslim, compared with 0.5% a decade prior.

In Stafford, 6.6% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, the same percentage as in 2001. Across the West Midlands, 6.6% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 7.7% in 2001.

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as differing patterns of ageing or of moving to or from an area for work or education. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population that said they had no religion in Stafford increased by 12 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in England, West Midlands and Stafford by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Rise in private renting

The percentage of households in Stafford that rented privately increased from 7.5% to 12.9% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

The percentage that lived in social housing remained close to 14.1%, while the percentage of Stafford households that owned their home decreased from 75.8% to 71.6%.

The proportion of privately rented homes increased at a slower rate here than the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 7.2% in 2001 to 14.0% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.9% to 16.9%.

Private renting in Stafford increased by 5.5 percentage points

Percentage of households in Stafford, the West Midlands and England that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Stafford residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 8.3% to 5.1% between the last two censuses.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (81.7%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 69.6% in 2001. The percentage of Stafford residents that described their health as fair decreased from 22.1% to 13.2%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 9.7% in 2001 to 6.1% in 2011). Across England, the percentage fell from 9.1% to 5.5%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Stafford decreased by 3.2 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Stafford, the West Midlands and England said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

More adults are separated from partners

The percentage of adults in Stafford that had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased from 9.8% to 11.5% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in two (52.1%) people aged 16 and over said they were married, compared with 56.7% in 2001. The percentage of single people in Stafford increased from 25.2% to 29.2%.

The proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 10.1% in 2001 to 11.3% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 10.6% to 11.6%.

The proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner was higher than across the West Midlands

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they had divorced or broken up with a married or civil partner across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Ethnicity in Stafford

In 2011, 2.5% of Stafford residents said they were from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups, up from 1.2% in 2001. The 1.4 percentage point change was the largest increase among ethnic groups in this area.

Across the West Midlands, the percentage of people from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups increased from 7.6% to 10.8%, while across England the percentage went from 5.2% to 8.0%.

Around 95.0% of people in Stafford said they were from one of the White ethnic groups, compared with 97.4% in 2001. About 1.3% said they were from Mixed/multiple ethnic groups (White and Asian, White and Black African, White and Black Caribbean or Other Mixed), compared with 0.8% a decade prior.

The percentage of people who said they were from the Black, Black British, Caribbean or African ethnic groups increased from 0.5% to 0.9%.

There are many factors that can cause changes to the ethnic profile of an area, such as differing patterns of ageing or of moving to or from an area for work or education. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population from the Asian or Asian British ethnic groups in Stafford increased by 1.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Stafford by ethnicity, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Stafford with only adult children living with their parents decreased from 9.7% to 9.3% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in four (27.1%) households had at least one dependent child, compared with 28.6% in 2001. The percentage of households in Stafford without children increased from 61.7% to 63.6%.

The proportion of households with adult children living with their parents fell at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 10.3% in 2001 to 10.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 9.4% to 9.6%.

The proportion of households with only adult children living with their parents was lower than across the West Midlands

Percentage of households where a parent lived with their adult children across local authority areas in the West Midlands and the average across England, March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Stafford residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.1% to 1.3% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage who reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 1.9%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to the figure for the whole of the West Midlands (from 1.2% in 2001 to 1.5% in 2011). Across England, the percentage increased from 1.1% to 1.4%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Stafford remained close to 1.3%

Percentage of usual residents in England, West Midlands and Stafford by care, March 2001 and March 2011

↑ Back to the top

Area report data

Related links